Niklaus Wirth

1934–2024 · Swiss computer scientist

Topics: software engineering, programming, software design, learning

• In the practical world of computing, it is rather uncommon that a program, once it performs correctly and satisfactorily, remains unchanged forever.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• During the process of stepwise refinement, a notation which is natural to the problem in hand should be used as long as possible.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• But active programming consists of the design of new programs, rather than contemplation of old programs.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• Clearly, programming courses should teach methods of design and construction, and the selected examples should be such that a gradual development can be nicely demonstrated.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• As a matter of fact, the adaptability of a program to changes in its objectives (often called maintainability) and to changes in its environment (nowadays called portability) can be measured primarily in terms of the degree to which it is neatly structured.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• In our profession, precision and perfection are not a dispensable luxury, but a simple necessity.

  — Niklaus Wirth

• Reliable and transparent programs are usually not in the interest of the designer.

  — Niklaus Wirth